Homestay in Kiet Ngong Village

Discover the " Real Laos " and leave the familiarities of tourist culture far behind. Living with a traditional family in Kiet Nong provides the unique opportunity to EXPERIENCE local culture. During your stay you will enjoy the companionship of village life while economically helping a local family. You will sleep in a private room furnished with a mattress and mosquito net, eat traditional food prepared by your family and bath outside in a traditional manner.

What can you do during the homestay?
You can join in the everyday activities with your family, such as cooking, feeding livestock, collecting vegetables, fishing and taking care of the kids. Your family might not invite you to help out, out of their respect for you as a guest. However, if you want to help, they will be happy. don't be shy and show them that you are willing to help and be a part of the family.

What about food?
Most of the food (except for the condiments) is organic and grown or collected by the family. You can point to the menus posted in the house to tell the family what you want to eat. If you have any special food issues, you will have to ask someone else to explain for you or point to the foods that you cannot eat before they start cooking. Often, the family will serve you alone, out of respect; however, you can invite them to join and eat together. This is not a restaurant that makes profits by serving a high volume of customers. Therefore, the price of homestay food is made a little bit higher to include for time and effort.

What should you know about bathing and washing?
You can shower inside the bathroom. If your family does not have a bathroom, you must bathe outside, in which case you should wear shorts or a sarong (a tube skirt). Please, no nude bathing outside. Your homestay family will show you where to dry your clothes. If they don't ask them. Please, do not hang underwear, pants or skirts in high areas, and do not hang clothes on the railing that faces the street or the entrance to the house.

What about sleeping?
Your family will provide you with a mosquito net, a mattress, a pillow and a blanket. This is a strict rule. If you do, Please, men and women are not allowed to sleep under the same mosquito net.you will have to pay a large fine to the village. Also, keep your flashlight handy at night in case you need to get up.

What to Bring
mosquito spray, sarong and waterproof sandals for public bathing, personal hygiene items, and laundry soap for hand washing clothes. (Optional: A translation dictionary)

Where does the money go?
There are 20 families in the homestay group. Each family takes turns providing homestay service in order to share the benefits fairly. The money that you pay goes directly to the family. A portion of the fee is put into the village development fund and a small fee is also used by the village to manage the service. If you are happy with your homestay, you can give your family a tip or a gift.

Booking
You can simply arrive in the village and book your homestay at the village information centre without advance reservation. You can book in advance through local tour companies.